Yula Fernandes
You know when a job says ‘we’re like a family here’? Well, writer and director David Ayer took that to heart and A Working Man was born.
Jason Statham stars as Levon Cade, an ex-military man turned construction foreman who works for the Garcias (Michael Peña and Noemi Gonzalez) as part of their family-run development firm. He’s got a young daughter, lives in a caravan, and rarely smiles.
Despite his gruff demeanour it’s obvious he’s got a good head on his shoulders and will go above and beyond for those he considers his own. This was proven in the first 10 minutes when one of his workers is being roughed up on site by some sketchy guys. Levon decides to step in, politely ask what’s going on and then proceed to throw a bucket of nails at the assailants and whip out a sawn-off shotgun that he apparently just hides onsite. A veritable OSHA nightmare but great for Levon if he’s ever in a pinch!
Trouble truly unfolds when his boss’s daughter Jenny (Arianna Rivas) is kidnapped on a night out. Desperate to get her back, the Garcias ask Levon for help. He declines, but after a trip to visit his old military mate Gunny (David Harbour) to do some soul searching, he quickly acquiesces to the plea. After all he did make a promise to Jenny that he would always have her back. This promise was sealed with a fist bump so you know it was serious.
The relationship between Levon and Jenny is what really holds the film together. Girl dads rejoice! As a full time daughter myself it’s comforting to know that there are dads out there that will hunt down, torture and murder dozens of human-traffickers and other equally unsavoury people in order to make sure their daughters (biological or not) are safe. This idea of a father’s love and duty is also mirrored with some of the antagonists. One in particular propels the second half of the film and proves to be an ever-looming threat to Levon.
This movie is classed as an action/thriller and while it delivers on the former I can’t say that I was particularly thrilled at any point. Any suspense that’s built up quickly disperses as we cut back to Levon’s brooding face.
The action sequences were definitely a highlight of the film. Tight choreography and inventive methods of inflicting pain made for a fun watch. Notably, there were a few water–based torture methods and deaths. A nice change from the stabbing, slicing and dicing. Pair this with a ton of bullets and bombs in small quarters and you’ve got action baby!
But is this the most original movie? No. Absolutely not. In fact when you google ‘A Working Man’ one of the top questions asks “is A Working Man a sequel to The Beekeeper?” Both were directed by Ayer and star Statham as a man with an innocuous job and a killer past. Throw in some punches, explosions and take a few too many bathroom breaks you’ll see it’s no wonder why people would come to that conclusion.
In terms of performances, Jason Statham is classic Jason Statham. This film is yet another notch in his brusque assassin belt. Honestly, I do like him but I think he shines in more comedic films such as Spy (2015) and the more recent Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre (2023).
One word for this whole movie is ‘safe.’ It delivered exactly what was written on the tin but nothing more. The film leaves a significant loose thread that can be easily followed for a sequel, but if (or when) that happens I’m unsure if there will be any audience members clamouring for tickets.
Year: 2025
Rating: M
Running Time: 116 MIN
Genre: Action
Director: David Ayer
Starring: Jason Statham, Michael Peña, David Harbour
Production Studio: Black Bear Pictures
Distributor: Amazon MGM Studios